A Week Without Quilting!

September 5, 2009 9:13 am ⋅ Pam

Who knew that a missing ruler could cause a week without sewing? I finally found my missing Easy Angle Ruler in a pile of papers. Apparently when I was clearing (note, not cleaing) my desk it got grabbed up and put on the shelf.

But truth be told, I’m not sure much sewing would have occured this week anyway. Earlier in the week I was working on the finishing instructions for the smaller Kansas Spirit quilt and I’ve been cleaning the house.

Today and tommorow I’m hosting a couple of my quilting buddies and we are going to sew all weekend. I’ve got Taco Soup in the crock pot for lunch, and the chicken is marinating in the refrigerator. I’ve talked my husband into grilling it tonight by making an Italian Wedding Cake to snack on.

Now to pick something from my list to work on this weekend.

Posted in: notions

What Cleaning Does

September 2, 2009 8:17 pm ⋅ Pam

I did not set out to clean. However, I received a “ton” of fabric cast offs which needed to be put up. There is still more in the basement waiting to be washed.

When we redid my sewing studio/office, I made the decision that if it didn’t fit on the two sets of shelves, I had to find another home for it — whatever it is. A few weeks ago I looked through all of my quilting magazines and donated a 12″ stack. You can’t tell by looking my shelves, because I gathered up the magazines that were scattered through out the house.

The fabric is a bit tougher. But, since I’ve made significatant progress on my DWR, it moved out of the bin it’s in and into one of my project bins. I also pulled out the extra fabric from a couple of other quilt tops recently finished and either put it away or dumped it on my table to be cut up into scraps. That’s the pile on the right in the picture below.

The pile on the left if what I found when I cleared my cutting table off. I’ve midplaced my small EZ Angle Ruler. I misplaced the large EZ Angle Ruler at the begining of the year. I didn’t even know I had one let alone two, plus the Companion Angle Ruler until I started working on Bonnie Hunter’s Orange Crush. Now I can’t find either!

I guess I keep digging.

Posted in: cleaning, notions, orange crush

September 2009 Quilting Goals

September 1, 2009 6:30 am ⋅ Pam

Since it appears that listing my quilting goals here and on a large printout by my computer helped, I’m doing it again.

* Complete remaining 2 sets of blocks for the SBS Brown/Blue Swap: G10 – Arizona; L6 – Steps to the Altar
* Keep up with the SBS BOW
* Work on Josh’s Quilt – needs to be off the frame by 10/15
* Work on DWR – top needs to be done by 10/15
* Complete Finishing Instructions for both sizes of Kansas Spirit BOM
* Quilt a baby quilt
* Keep Scraps Cut Up

This is a relatively modest list this month. But I’m itching to start something new and I have several kits so that might happen as well. On the other hand I realized today that I have more quilt tops waiting to be quilted than I do quilts in various stages of progress, so maybe I can talk myself into quilting 2 quilts instead of starting something new.

Posted in: block swaps, dwr, Josh's Quilt, KTS, monthly goals, SBS

Review of August 2009 Quilting Goals

August 31, 2009 10:30 pm ⋅ Pam

Here it is the end of the month. I must say I’m pleased with what I accomplished. I don’t know if I set more realistic goals than I’ve done in the past or simply stayed focused for the most part. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

* At least 2 sets of blocks for the SBS Brown/Blue Swap: The 3rd set was completed 8/9
* Keep up with the SBS BOW: 5 blocks turned in for August
* Finish star blocks to go with birthday swap blocks: not only finished the blocks, completed the quilt top 8/22
* Work on Josh’s quilt: completed hand quilting block #10 and started block # 11
* Make up mind about applique on table runner: decided against applique, repaired quilt, made and attached label 8/27
* Work on DWR – top needs to be done by mid-October: attached row of 5 rings, repaired previous work and made more rings
* Make rest of Birthday Swap Blocks: completed them on 8/12 and addressed envelopes for mailing
* Keep scraps cut up: no new scraps added to scrap bucket
* Quilt a baby quilt to get a finish!: This is the one thing I did not get done.

In addition to the above, I finished another baby quilt top (blocks already made) and I completed the shop sample for the Kansas Spirit BOM for my LQS.

Posted in: birthday blocks, dwr, hand quilting, Josh's Quilt, KTS, monthly goals, SBS, table runner

What’s On My Design Wall? – 8/31

August 31, 2009 6:30 am ⋅ Pam

It’s another row of partially completed rings for my Double Wedding Ring quilt. Last week I added the row of 5 rings and fixed those spots where the seam was too narrow. I discovered one spot that I completely missed the background!

Before I can go any further, I need to cut more pieces, but first I’ll do this week’s SBS BOW.

Check out other design wall by visiting Patchwork Times.

Posted in: dwr, SBS

Stash Report Week # 35

August 30, 2009 7:10 am ⋅ Pam

Nothing in — that I’m going to count this week. I’ve got 2 1/2 reusable grocery sacks of fabric out in the car from a friend. She was clearing her stash of stuff she’ll never use and wonders why she bought. There was more, but I did my best to limit myself to stuff I really liked and thought I would use. Once I bring it inside I’ll count it.

Outbound, I did a bit better. I cut, with my new templates, some backgrounds and melons for my DWR and I pulled sashing, cornerstones and binding from my stash to complete a baby scrappy quilt. I’ve selected the backing, but until it gets sandwiched, I won’t count it either.

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 168.25 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 1.43 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 67.236 yards

Net Stash: +101.014 yards

See how others are doing over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

Off the UFO List and on the To-Be Quilted List

August 29, 2009 9:06 pm ⋅ Pam

Last night I pulled out a set of 5-patch blocks which I made from my pre-cut fabrics Spring of 2008. I’m not sure that this was the original intent, but they didn’t look right w/o the cornerstones and sashing.

I’ve made the binding from the cornerstone fabrics, and dug around in my stash to find a piece of fabric large enough for the backing. I found this:

Now to get it quilted — one of these days.

Posted in: baby quilt, UFOs

Cranberry Wishes Table Runner – A Finish

August 27, 2009 9:43 pm ⋅ Pam

The table runner is finished.

I’m sure you are thinking haven’t I seen this table runner before? What wasn’t finished on it then?

Three things.

1 – I had to decide if I was going to do the raw edge applique.
2 – I found a strip which did not get caught and it needed to be repaired.
3 – It needed a label.

I choose to skip the applique because if I use this on the table, I want dishes to sit flat. That and generally speaking applique is not something I do.

The repair took a bit of thought. I came up with a solution, which although is visible to me, shouldn’t really be visible to anyone else — especially if I’ve got the table set on top of it.

The label I printed a label and then ‘bound’ it with the backing fabric. A bit of sticky fusible to hold it in place while I hand stitched it down.

This project is done!

Posted in: finish

A Solution I Can Live With

August 26, 2009 11:02 pm ⋅ Pam

In the last 24 hours or so, numerous individuals have commented on my DWR delemma. Not only did I blog about it here, I posted the question to a couple of my e-mail groups and the QIAD forum.

First, I thank you for the compliments and comments on the quilt top. I still have a ways to go, but I’m confident this UFO will grow up to become a loved quilt.

Overwhelmingly the majority said to leave it alone. The few who said ‘fix it’ did so with the qualification that I had to do what I thought best and could live with. Someone recommended watching Sharon Schamber’s Beginning Quilter: Magical Basting which I did. Very interesting and when I get to the top done, I will review this video again.

Since I am torn between seeing my progress as a quilter and knowing I tend to lean toward the perfectionist side. I still needed to do something.

I flipped the quilt top over.

Look at that seam. The muslin caught maybe an eighth of an inch. Since I plan to USE this quilt and wash it, I sure don’t want the seams to pull out. I’ve tried to get away with tiny seams before and I ~~had to~~ still need to repair them after the quilt was washed a couple of times.

As it turns out some of the worst places have these weird seams. My solution is to fix the seams so they have a better chance of not ripping out. I’ve fixed two and there are a couple of more, including the one pictured above.

I think this is a solution I can live with.

Posted in: dwr

5 More to Go

August 26, 2009 7:15 pm ⋅ Pam

Apparently I can’t count. Back in July I have a post with this same title. It’s was a reference to the number of pieced blocks I had left to quilt on my nephew’s quilt. Well, I’ve finished the rail fence block — it only took a month – and now I really only have 5 more blocks to go.